Councillor tables motion against building Highway 413 as outlined in Province’s Bill 212

Motion will be coming to November 12 Meeting

By ZACHARY ROMAN

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Caledon's Ward 3 Councillor is expected to soon table a motion that attempts to protect Caledon residents from the impacts of the Province's recently-passed Bill 212.

Councillor Doug Maskell said Caledon should not support the Province's plan to build Highway 413, as outlined in Bill 212. 

He said he knows the decision to build the highway is ultimately out of Caledon's hands, and that his motion is not necessarily about whether it should be built or not.

“From my reading of the legislation, Bill 212, it does a couple of things which make the construction of the highway under the conditions outlined in that bill unacceptable to Caledon,” said Maskell.

Bill 212, the Reducing Gridlock, Saving You Time Act, includes the Building Highways Faster Act and the Highway 413 Act.

Maskell said Bill 212 would prevent a Caledon resident from applying for an adjustment to the date their property would be expropriated to build the 413.

Further, he said the bill, on first offence, imposes a $50,000 fine on a Caledon resident who interferes with an expropriation — and $10,000 per day in which the offence continues.  

“Some families have been on the same land for 200 years, and under this legislation, you've got 90 days to pack up and go with no right of appeal,” said Maskell.

Maskell said he also does not like that the Bill exempts the 413 from the Environmental Assessment Act.

Nearly half of the 413, if built, will be within Caledon's municipal boundaries.

“If you're going to build it, we want a better deal for Caledon,” said Maskell. 

Maskell's motion will be presented at Caledon Council's November 12 General Committee meeting.